Euljiro tonkatsu restaurant: black pork loin & fillet 5 ways, Hunta

When you're eating tonkatsu (pork cutlet) in Euljiro, sometimes you don't want just a crunchy cutlet. You want a place where you can really taste the meat itself, right? That's what I was looking for this time, and I ended up at Hunta, a well-known tonkatsu spot in Euljiro.

Short version: Hunta has a different charm from your typical cutlet place, haha. Since the katsu is made with black pork, you can really taste the meat as you eat, which I loved.

Where is Hunta Euljiro?

Hunta Euljiro is at 24 Namdaemun-ro 9-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, Unit 106 on the ground floor of the Fast Five building. Since it's on the ground floor, it wasn't hard to find even if the Euljiro alleys are new to you.

I had an appointment in Euljiro and wandered around nearby before stopping in. My first impression was fairly plain and understated, a place that feels comfortable for a meal rather than an over-decorated cutlet shop. Euljiro is full of great eateries tucked in the alleys, and new places can be confusing to locate, but Hunta is on the ground floor, so it was easy to get to.

Is the interior of Hunta Euljiro good for eating alone?

The inside of Hunta Euljiro is clean and tidy. It isn't stiffly formal, so it's fine to come alone, and it looked good for a relaxed meal with friends or a partner too.

When I pick a cutlet place, the food matters, but I also care quite a bit about whether the tables and dining area are clean. Hunta was tidy overall, so the first impression was good, haha.

Hunta menu

How do you eat Hunta's black pork katsu?

The tables at Hunta have a guide on how to enjoy the katsu even more. Instead of just dipping it in tonkatsu sauce, you combine salt, Gabon pepper, shichimi, green onion kimchi, and mustard and wasabi depending on the cut and your taste.

And this was the most fun part of the day for me! The guide on the table lays out how to enjoy Hunta even more. It isn't the usual dip-in-sauce way; it's a set of different combinations depending on the cut and your taste.

1. Salt: the basic pairing that brings out the loin's richness

First up: just a light dip in salt. A little salt makes it easy to taste the meat itself and the nutty richness of the fat. It went especially well with a cut like the loin, which has that fatty flavor.

2. Gabon pepper: a deeper meat flavor

Second is Gabon pepper. As the guide says, its deep, subtle pepper aroma brings out the rich flavor. Personally I liked this pairing too. Sprinkle a little pepper on the cutlet and the flavor of the meat feels a bit more intense! If you like pepper, definitely try it, haha.

3. Shichimi: switch up the taste with something spicy and fragrant

Third is shichimi. The guide describes it as a Japanese spice blend based on chili pepper with sansho (Sichuan-style pepper), sesame and citrus peel. The slightly spicy, fragrant taste went surprisingly well with the cutlet. When the katsu starts tasting all the same, a little shichimi changes the flavor completely, which is fun.

4. Green onion kimchi: a Korean pairing that especially suits the loin

Fourth is green onion kimchi (pa-kimchi). Honestly, if you're Korean you can't help but love this combo, lol. Hunta's green onion kimchi was nice to have between bites of the rich cutlet. After the crunchy, nutty katsu, a piece of pa-kimchi makes your mouth feel fresh again. Personally, I thought the loin and green onion kimchi pairing worked best.

5. Mustard and wasabi: a sharp kick to cut the richness

And last, the mustard and wasabi combo! If you like that sharp kick, I'd recommend this too. Rather than drowning the cutlet in sauce, a little dab on each bite keeps the meat's flavor while cutting the greasiness, which I liked.

Honest review of Hunta's loin & fillet katsu

The biggest plus of eating the loin & fillet katsu at Hunta Euljiro was that you don't have to eat your cutlet just one way.

Start with salt, then try pepper, then top it with shichimi, then add green onion kimchi, and you keep getting different flavors even within a single plate.

First visit: loin or fillet?

If you really want to taste the black pork, I recommend eating the first bite or two with salt rather than sauce. That way you get more of the meat's own flavor. As for the cuts, loin seems right for people who like a rich, nutty taste, and fillet for those who like a light, tender texture. So for a first visit, I'd recommend ordering the loin & fillet katsu like I did and comparing the two cuts!

Hunta Euljiro's strengths

• You can try tonkatsu made with black pork
• You can compare loin and fillet in one go
• Plenty of combinations, from salt and pepper to shichimi, green onion kimchi, mustard and wasabi

Verdict: Hunta if you're looking for tonkatsu in Euljiro

My verdict: if you're looking for a good tonkatsu spot in Euljiro, Hunta is worth a visit at least once! If you love cutlets, want to really taste the meat, and like trying different combinations, you'll probably be even happier.